Before Contract you mapped agencies to see where Contract fit in. What is the vision for Everest?
A. The focus of today’s environment, as against the prevailing environment in the 1980s, has changed. At that time, there was still some room for uncreative agencies. Today, there is none. Which is why you see all the effort even HTA is making at creativity. Today, the environment has unbundled itself completely. Media is going to MindShare, so nobody is looking at you as a specialist for media. Events have gone to event management companies, direct marketing to DM specialists. And the biggest competition to strategic planners is the McKinseys of this world. So what is left? The core thing that McKinsey and Andersen cannot give is ideas. At that time it was a luxury when a client said, ‘Kuch creative karo.’ Today, it is essential for survival. Today clients demand big ideas. Advertising is basically going back to its roots – ideas. And the focus for Everest is big ideas that surprise the consumer.
